French expedition to Florida

The French expedition to Florida (French: Expeditione de Floride) was an attempt by the French colonists to conquer northern Florida from the native rebels who inhabited the area. Landing in 1550 to search for the rumored cities of gold and people covered in jewels, the French conqueror Jean de Caroline took over a stretch of land from the natives and founded Fort Caroline in 1559.

Background
In the 1520s the Viceroyalty of New Spain conquered the mighty Mexican Aztec Empire with a combination of guns, germs, and steel, and in the 1530s reduced the Inca Empire to a tributary state. With rumors of cities of gold (such as Quivira) and people covered in jewels surfacing, the European nations soon got greedy and attempted to claim land in the Americas. Although France and Spain were at war in 1550 during the Habsburg-Valois War (one of the Italian Wars), France spared an army and fleet so that explorer Jean de Caroline could attempt to discover these mythical cities and peoples. The fleet was found by New Spain scouts, but as New Spain was merely a puppet of Spain, it had no business in attacking them.

Expedition
Caroline's forces landed on the east coast of Florida in the northern part of the peninsula, moving inland with traders, diplomats, and missionaries. The priests converted many natives to Catholicism, although many could not read and thus could not explore God's will with the Bible. France's army was unimpeded in its march on the main native camp at present-day Jacksonville, and Caroline captured the camp after an assault. The natives were driven out, and Jean de Caroline built Fort Caroline as the capital of French North Florida.

Aftermath
The French Huguenot colonization of Florida led to a dispute with Spain, who did not bother to send envoys to the French to discuss trade or an alliance. Eventually, New Spain conquered French Florida and drove the Huguenots back to France.